Covid-19 added to list of notifiable diseases

Outgoing Minister for Health Simon Harris has today signed
the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulations 2020 to include coronavirus (covid-19)
on the existing list of notifiable diseases.

This will oblige doctors to routinely notify the HSE when a
case of covid-19 is diagnosed.

Minister Harris commented: “Ireland is well positioned
to detect and respond to a case of the covid-19 that might arise here. This
measure, to include covid-19 on the list of notifiable diseases, is common
practice when dealing with a newly emerging infectious disease. This was also
done for the SARS epidemic in 2002.”

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan said: “Ireland’s
public health response to covid-19 remains unchanged. We are in a containment
phase. Anyone returning from China in the last 14 days, and experiencing
symptoms associated with covid-19 is instructed to self-isolate and contact the
health service via phone or email.”